Vehicle data checks

The tougher requirements of the new Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) introduced in June 2011 are being applied by the DVLA. Whilst there can be few classic car enthusiasts who do not agree that the scourge of uninsured drivers should be tackled and rigorously but there are concerns that owners of seasonally used vehicles may park them up in a garage or barn and then, because they are not intending to use the car on the public highway for some months, they may forget when their motor insurance cover expires. Under the CIE a vehicle owner that has not declared a SORN (statutory off road notice) for a vehicle must have an active motor insurance cover for that vehicle. The DVLA now has systems which enable it to run checks on both their vehicle records database and the Motor Insurance Database (MID) and by comparing the data from the two databases it can very easily identify vehicles that are uninsured but not on a SORN. Firm action is promissed on those cases. So what checks and precautions can a classic car owner take? Well the links below will help you get to the DVLA, DirectGov, askMID and MOT websites in a click. Make a vehicle detail enquiry You can use online DVLA service to check what information is held on its database about a vehicle. In order to make an enquiry you will need the Vehicle Registration Mark (number plate) and the vehicle make. The online report will tell you when the road tax or SORN for the vehicle is due to expire. Vehicle detail enquiry Check your vehicle is on the Motor Insurance Database or MID This free online service enables you to your own vehicle is on the MID, the central record of all insured vehicles in the UK. It is worth checking the askMID record is correct for your car as mistakes have been known to occur in recording the information provided by insurance companies. askMID enquiry & CIE Check your vehicle's MOT status and history online You can check if an MOT certificate is legal or if a vehicle has failed an MOT test by doing an MOT test status check online. This will also give you details of the vehicle's MOT test history. This website only provides information about MOT tests carried out by garages using MOT Computerisation. MOT check Apply for a road tax disc online You will need the V5C (or log book) and a current MOT certificate for the vehicle valid on the date the disc starts and there must be valid motor insurance covering the use of the vehicle when the tax discs starts. The current status of both the MOT and insurance will be checked automatically during the online application. More Declare a SORN online To declare a Statutory Off Road Notification you are going to need the renewal reminder sent to you by the DVLA before the expiry date of a tax disc or a SORN. The renewal reminder is form V11. When you have completed this declaration, a SORN confirmation letter should arrive by post within 4 weeks. More Need a reminder of the key road tax/SORN, MOT and insurance dates? Keeping those key dates for your car in a place for easy reference seems a good idea, so we have produced a set of credit card sized forms on which you can make a note of the road tax/SORN renewal date, MOT expiry date and the insurance renewal date for your car. You can then cut out the form and slip it in with your cards. Download a form

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